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As someone who’d fought for acceptance based on her skills as a mechanic, not her uniqueness in a male-dominated field, Maryshka appreciated that. It was also a reassuring reminder she stood in front of people who understood what it was to carve a place for yourself.
Ros’s other hand was at her shoulder, linked with that of the man who stood beside her, leaning against the outside of the booth. Lawrence, her committed and collared sub. While notoverly tall, he was built solid, a former Navy SEAL with steady dark eyes and an obvious protective devotion to his Mistress. The sexy alpha male also had a good sense of humor and was smart as the pop of a single tail.
She’d gotten a good spanking for observing that one night. The sexy part that is.
Abigail Rose, the other co-founder of the company, wasn’t here tonight, but Ros sat with the remaining three members of the executive team. Veracity Morgan, Cynbad Marigold and Skye Sumner. Vera, Cyn and Skye.
Ros tilted her sharp chin in Andrei’s direction. A smile curved her mauve lips. “Andrei, you have good timing. We were just discussing the merits of urethral sounding, and could use a male Dom’s opinion.”
Maryshka stifled a chuckle as Lawrence sent Andrei a mouthed,hell no, with a hand across the throat gesture. Ros caught it in the corner of her gaze, as Maryshka was sure Lawrence intended. She shot him an amused look.
“Obviously, a sub’s opinion in this case is too biased.”
Andrei cleared his throat. “I’m probably not going to be much help. Anyone who approaches my dick with a steel rod is going to be skewered with it.” He dipped his head toward Maryshka, his hand on her tightening in reassurance. “But while I’d be pleased to join you ladies for further discussion and buy your next round of drinks, my sub would like to talk to you.”
Four sets of eyes turned her way. She chided herself for the sudden quake in her stomach, but she admitted she was glad for Andrei’s touch. Outside the garage and her brusque mechanic persona, she was actually painfully shy, something Andrei knew.
She managed to meet their gazes though, before sweeping hers down respectfully. There were protocols here, and only the Dommes could say “at ease” and relax them.
Her gaze skittered a little faster past Cyn, without shame. Cyn was a sadist Domme who scared every sensible sub, while being beloved by crazy masochistic ones. In contrast, Vera had a calm, goddess-like energy. And Skye…well, Skye was the cool kid of the group.
She sat with one leg bent, hand draped over a knee covered by flowing slacks that had a sheer layer of black over a silver satin liner. Classy but kind of bohemian. Her knit lavender shirt with a scoop neck had the outline of a silver rose printed on it. Her jewelry was a silver chain strung with a variety of overlapping charms. Maryshka recognized an ankh, a robot, and a shooting star.
Amethyst studs were in her double pierced ears, visible because Skye wore her hair cut short on one side, longer on the other, feathered over her dark eyes. Sharp, intrigued eyes, ringed in silver liner and shadowed with charcoal gray.
“What do you want to talk to us about, Maryshka?” Vera asked. Her black hair was shorn in a fade on both sides, the longer locks tumbling over the shaved area and down her back. A line of silver rings followed the shells of her ears. Her chestnut-colored skin intensified the focus of her clear gray eyes, glinting from the club lights.
Maryshka wet her lips. “Tiger, ma’am.”
“Does he know you’re talking to us about him?” Frost touched Ros’s blue eyes.
“No.” Maryshka drew herself up. “But I don’t know what else to do to help him. I’m afraid for him. I thought…maybe you could give me some advice.”
Tiger played privately, but Skye and Abby had evolved into his most regular club partners. And all of the women here had had sessions with him. Based on their tight relationship as Mistresses, she hoped that meant they had a pretty good grasp of his deeper layers. The darker ones.
“I know…he’s your friend, same as he is for me, though we have different relationships. Maybe he doesn’t need help, maybe he’s okay. He went through something bad, and people need time to deal with that.”
Damn it, she’d practiced this speech.Keep it short and simple. Don’t doubt yourself.In front of her mirror, she’d told herself it was no different than explaining an engine problem to a customer. But as she’d proven on the stairs, even a month later, she was too emotional about this.
She was about to shoot Andrei a desperate look, maybe a call for a tactful retreat, when a familiar voice spoke. One she recognized from the movieAvatar, because she and Andrei had watched it, three times at least.
“But it bothers you enough that you want a second opinion.”
Skye had her hand on her phone. Her fingers had typed as the words came forth, sounding like Sigourney Weaver. Skye had a host of celebrity voices she used.
“Yes, Mistress,” Maryshka said. “He’s my boss. He’s still my friend, but there’s a wall. Which is fine, but now he’s gone behind it and locked the door. Shutting us all out. I respect his privacy, Mistresses, I really do, but I’m worried as hell about him. Since my dad died, he…he’s been like that to me.”
She hadn’t meant to throw that in the mix. Mortified, she realized her voice had cracked. Andrei’s hand moved to her nape as he firmly took over.
“It’s been tearing her up,” he told Ros. His expression darkened. “What happened at the garage wasn’t as straightforward as the news made it sound.”
The women exchanged a look. Andrei’s forefinger stroked lightly over Maryshka’s neck. “We had a good session tonight to help her level out and clear her head. But I think talking to someone about him will help her heart. Help bring back her focus, so I don’t have to give her hell about it.” He tugged herhair, shooting her a tender teasing look, with the right touch of steely Dom in it.
“A butt plug the size of your fist does wonders for focusing a sub,” Cyn noted.
She wasn’t joking. Maryshka had seen her do it. Andrei knew how to get her out of bad places in her head, but extremes of pain and stress were not that path for her. That was one thing coming to a club taught you. Everybody needed different things, different paths, to find that center where they could meet their own soul face to face and learn things about themselves that made life…better.
Ros glanced across the booth toward Skye. “Your call,” she said.
